Cathedral High Sch history

Cathedral began in 1905 when it became obvious that young women should also have the chance for advanced learning that would open many career doors and enrich the human person.

The world has changed a great deal since the first CHS class graduated in 1909, a year in which women could not vote, were denied access to many professions and rarely worked outside the home.

Mundelein gathered 84 young men at Saint John’s Chapel (presently Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School) for an opening Mass on September 7, 1914.

The school was founded as a boys high school by the Brothers of Holy Cross in 1918.

In 1925, because of the huge numbers who wanted a Cathedral education, the first of five Annexes was opened.

Our mission, since our establishment in 1926, is to deliver a rigorous and holistic education that is available for all families, regardless of ability to pay.

After a series of temporary relocations to accommodate a booming enrollment, Cathedral finally located in a new million-dollar school building at 14th and Meridian in 1927.

Robert V. Welch, a 1945 Cathedral alumnus and prominent real estate developer, organized the Cathedral Trustees, Inc. and for the next 15 years served as its Board Chairman.

By the early 1950's, Cathedral was overflowing.

The Diocese decided to build an east side school, Scecina Memorial, to ease the overcrowding, and in the early 1960's also built Bishop Chatard High School on Kessler Boulevard.

In October of that year, the Holy Cross Brothers announced Cathedral would close, effective June 1973.

In 1976, the Cathedral Trustees moved their school to the former site of Ladywood School (56th St and Emerson Way), which had itself just been closed by the Sisters of Providence.

In January of 1999, Cathedral successfully completed a capital campaign building for a new elementary wing and athletic facilities.

On September 13, 2011, Cathedral celebrated its 93rd birthday and was formally re-affiliated with the Brothers of Holy Cross.

In addition to many sectional, league, and state championship teams, Cathedral has graduated star athletes such as WNBA player Michelle “Ice” Edwards, a 2014 inductee into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.